Riyadh Air signs stadium naming deal with Atlético Madrid

Riyadh Air

• Now called Riyadh Air Metropolitano
• Deal includes investment in club
• Riyadh Air already sponsors shirts

The new Saudi Arabian carrier Riyadh Air has agreed a deal with the Spanish football club Atlético Madrid to rename the team’s stadium after the Gulf state airline.

Atlético Madrid’s stadium, the Estadio Metropolitano, opened in 2017, will now be called the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.

The stadium sponsorship deal is scheduled to run until 2033, and includes a major financial investment in the Spanish club.

The Saudi airline, which was founded in March 2023, already sponsored the club’s jerseys.

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“Riyadh Air Metropolitano — this is how our stadium will be known as a result of the nine-year agreement reached with our main sponsor for the naming of Atlético’s home,” said an announcement by the club, which also said the Riyadh Air is “the most important sponsor in the club’s history”.

Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, said: “It’s an honour to become the naming partner for the Riyadh Air Metropolitano and extend our partnership with Atlético Madrid until 2033.

“Having our name on such an iconic stadium will elevate the awareness of Riyadh Air across the sporting world and beyond.”

The final installation of the new name of the stadium on the main, north-east and south-east facades will take place in the next few weeks.

It is not clear how much Riyadh Air paid for the Atlético Madrid stadium sponsorship, but it was reported that the jersey sponsorship deal, which runs until 2027, was worth €40 million ($43.9 million) per season to the club.

In August Riyadh Air became the “official airline partner” of Concacaf, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football.

Riyadh Air is expected to start operations in mid-2025.